Memorial Day Weekend 2026 Travel to Set Another Record

Get ready for clogged roads and airport, train and cruise terminals, because more of us will be traveling more than 50 miles from home this Memorial Day Weekend than last year.

The annual AAA survey predicts 44.8 million of us will be on the move between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25, more than in 2025, which set a record.

 This year’s domestic travel forecast is slightly higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record with 39.1 million people traveling by car and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations. 

While gas prices are higher than last Memorial Day weekend, average ticket prices for flights are lower than last year for those who booked early. 

Memorial Day 2026 Travel by Mode of Transportation 

By Car: 

AAA projects 39.1 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, a slight jump over last year.

Driving is the most popular way to travel and makes up 87% of the share of Memorial Day travelers. 

This holiday weekend, drivers are paying more at the pump compared to last year when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day. Currently, pump prices are the highest they’ve been since the summer of 2022.  

With a record number of travelers on the road this holiday weekend, AAA reminds drivers to put safety first, Slow Down, Move Over, and drive sober. Before hitting the road, check your car’s battery, tire pressure, and fluids. 

Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks. 

For travelers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest pick-up days.

The top 5 markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, and Boston. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper this holiday weekend compared to last year. 

By Air: 

AAA projects 3.66 million travelers will take domestic flights over Memorial Day weekend, a small increase over last year. 

Air travelers make up 8% of the share of travelers this holiday weekend. 

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Memorial Day weekend trips, roundtrip domestic flights are 6% cheaper compared to last year, with an average ticket costing $800. Most of those trips were booked before rising jet fuel prices started affecting airfare. 

By Other Modes: 

Travel by other modes is expected to go up by 5% with 2.2 million people traveling by bus, train, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend. 

Alaska cruise season kicks off this time of year, and the popularity of Alaska cruises is a driving factor in this category’s growth. 

AAA’s Top Memorial Day Weekend Destinations 

Memorial Day weekend travelers are taking trips to theme parks and famous landmarks, boarding cruises in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and flying to Europe to visit iconic capital cities. 

Here are the top 10 domestic and international destinations, based on AAA booking data.  

Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metro 

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says Memorial Day weekend drivers should expect the heaviest congestion on Thursday and Friday between 3pm and 6pm and Monday afternoon. Sunday should be the lightest day for traffic, barring any unexpected events on the road. 

According to INRIX, as congestion moves out of metro areas during holiday periods and onto highways, the risk of crashes increases as many drivers navigate unfamiliar routes outside of their normal commuting patterns.

This stresses the importance of getting a good night’s rest before a road trip, planning your route ahead of time, and driving undistracted and sober.   And beware of road rage.

The times listed below are for the time zone in which the metro is located. For example, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT. 

SOURCE: INRIX 

 Holiday Travel Forecast Methodology  

Projection data includes  macroeconomic drivers such as employment, output, household net worth, asset prices including stock indices, interest rates, housing market indicators, and variables related to travel and tourism, including gasoline prices, airline travel, and hotel stays. AAA and partners quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is President Emeritus of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA).

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.

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